Kinkaid Spring 2014 Magazine

S P R I N G 2 01 4

Discovering your voice

A Foundation for Life

SPRING 2014

From the Headmaster

SPRING 2014

Contents

18

Feature 18 Discovering Your Voice

28

17

Departments 2

Headmaster Andy Martire and Charlie Schmidt ‘24 at the Habitat Fair

C

lose your eyes for a moment and remember back when you were in elementary school. Your class play has already begun, and your first line is rapidly approaching. Can you feel the same butterflies that you felt when you were 9 years old in the third grade? Now think back to another time, when you were a bit older, perhaps in high school. You have to make an announcement at assembly, or maybe you are giving a speech about your athletic team’s season. How did you feel then? Hopefully, you felt more comfortable, and ideally you did not experience any—or many—“nerves”, as the expression goes.

While most people, with time, become more comfortable speaking in front of groups, schools can truly help students develop and refine their elocution talents. Kinkaid students are bright, motivated and articulate; however, it would be a mistake to think that they do not need formal training in how to present, speak to an audience or argue a point. There are many components to an effective presentation, including content, pace of delivery, points of emphases, body posture, eye contact, tone, humor (when appropriate), the use of audiovisuals — meaning we don’t want our students to read every word from their PowerPoint slides!—and a compelling introduction and conclusion.

Best wishes for a wonderful spring!

Sincerely yours,

3 4 5 6 8 10 12 16 17

1906 Society Reception Separating work and life Tales from the Archives In the Classroom Lower School Middle School Upper School Staff Spotlight – Shelly Read Peace by Piece

24

Athletics

28

Fine Arts

31

Alumni News

32

As you will see in this issue, we at Kinkaid are very systematic about how we approach and think about public speaking in all three academic divisions. From projects to speech classes to debate, we intend for our students to be exposed to a wide variety of “stand and deliver” moments. Moreover, our robust fine arts program gives students a true plethora of opportunities to be on stage in front of their peers, parents and guests. Students who speak or perform when the Brown Auditorium is at capacity are enunciating to nearly 800 people!

Just recently, I have seen enthusiastic second graders display and explain their habitats, fourth graders efficiently host KLS-TV, fifth graders address a large audience at Grandparents’ day, eigth graders light up the stage in Grease, the Upper School cast of Once Upon a Mattress sing, dance, and joke their way through a wonderful show, and Governing Council candidates deliver compelling campaign speeches. I am extremely proud of these wide variety of “speakers,” and I look forward to many more outstanding “stage” moments in the years ahead.

Around Campus

34 36

24

34

Alumnus Profile – David Shutts ’74 Alumna Profile – Stacey Kayem ’93 Milestones

THE KINKAID MAGAZINE IS A PUBLICATION OF THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE OF THE KINKAID SCHOOL

Tom Moore Director of Advancement tom.moore@kinkaid.org

Andrea Ibarra Gift Records Manager andrea.ibarra@kinkaid.org

Laura Renaud Advancement Associate laura.renaud@kinkaid.org

Emily Wynne Bolin ‘82 Manager of Alumni Activities & Annual Giving emily.bolin@kinkaid.org

Jennifer Pardee Assistant Director of Advancement jen.pardee@kinkaid.org

Cindy van Keppel Advancement Assistant cindy.vankeppel@kinkaid.org

Georgia Piazza Manager of Communications & Special Events georgia.piazza@kinkaid.org

Photography contributed by: David Shutts ’74 David Shutts Photography, Inc.

Jennifer Gould Parent Liaison & Volunteer Coordinator jennifer.gould@kinkaid.org

Design contributed by: Michael Clarke Blue C Studios 1

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

AROUND ATHLETICS CAMPUS

ANNUAL 2014 REPORT SPRING

Stay Connected with Kinkaid!

Like us, link to us, find us or follow us!

Join the conversation and be in touch.

facebook.com/kinkaidschool facebook.com/kinkaidschoolstore facebook.com/kinkaid.alumni

@KinkaidSchool @andymartire @KinkaidLS @KinkaidAthletic @KinkaidArts

713-782-1640

1906 Society Reception The beautiful River Oaks home of Kinkaid parents Terri and John Havens was the venue this year for a reception honoring members of the The 1906 Society. Named for Kinkaid’s founding year, The 1906 Society recognizes donors who have made gifts at the Pacesetter level ($3000) or more to the Annual Fund. Over 275 guests attended the festive event, and once the rainy skies cleared, got to enjoy the lovely setting. Annual Fund Trustee Chair Ed Frank ’68 and Headmaster Andy Martire thanked everyone for their support. “We are thrilled with the response this year and so grateful to our generous Kinkaid community,” said Mr. Frank. Dr. Martire added, “These gifts are what make the difference between being a good school and a great one.”

It’s not too late to become a 1906 Society member for the 2013-2014 Annual Fund year! For more information, please contact Emily Bolin, Manager of Annual Giving, at 713-243-5098 or emily.bolin@kinkaid.org.

kinkaid.org – sign up for news alerts

plus.google.com/+KinkaidOrg

2

3

AROUND ATHLETICS CAMPUS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

Separating work and life:

Are you technologically tethered to your workplace?

J

4

Margaret Kinkaid’s disdain for cooking

O

ne of the joys of working in the archives is the anachronistic state of things – the past joins the present piece-by-piece, one snapshot at a time, forming an ever-changing puzzle.

Being an archivist is a bit like being a detective. Our knowledge is based only on the evidence we have, and even then there is much room for interpretation! That is why the Charles B. Sanders Collection, donated

by Coach Charlie Sanders ’54 in 2011, holds such remarkable value. It imbued our collection with a more complete picture of Kinkaid’s past.

More than a century of history was buried deep in the file cabinets of the copy room. I was simply stunned when I opened a crinkly brown envelope filled with Margaret Kinkaid’s personal photographs and correspondence, some dating back to the 19th century.

If you own a smartphone, the chances are that you have used it in the last hour. For many of us, our smartphone is our lifeline to the outside world, whether it is social media, the news, games or keeping up with e-mail. The literature on mobile e-mail reveals a vigorous debate raging between proponents of the device’s efficiency and functionality, while detractors highlight the ways in which it can take over the user’s life and even enslave him/her. Others have taken a more measured approach and discussed the technology both in terms of its positives and its negatives. As such, the scholars agree that smartphones or “mobile e-mail,” allow users to be always on, anywhere and at any time (AAA). These AAA qualities enable users to be more productive and balance out their e-mail workload by making use of spare moments. However, because mobile e-mail is able to penetrate the micro moments of users’ lives, the technology makes it possible for users to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The question is, is this a bad thing?

Additionally, there are negative health consequences for this “technologically tethered” worker because (s)he is unable to “switch off.”

As researchers have noted, smartphones enable uncompensated, supplementary work and so rather than reducing work-home conflict and increasing job control, they actually have the opposite effect.

Workers’ inability to switch off may now lead to increased stress and possible burnout. Furthermore, the use of smartphones may negatively affect an employee’s coping mechanisms through the removal of perceived controls of workload and work boundaries. Researchers have thus concluded that the ability to communicate and work anytime, anywhere has led to many workers being unable to maintain a healthy separation between their work and personal lives. As such, negative individual and organizational outcomes may be expected in work environments where workers are “technologically tethered” – be it by smartphones, in particular, or e-mail, in general.

Tales From the Archives:

Contributed by: Fiona de Young, School Archivist and Assistant Upper School Librarian

ames Jordan, Middle School Assistant Principal, completed his dissertation titled, The double-edged sword: How the sociomaterial features of e-mail shape the dynamics of teacher work expectations and work actions. The excerpt below combines two of his 12 themes discussed in his 387-page dissertation. Dr. Jordan will graduate with a doctorate in education (Ed.D.) from George Washington University in Washington, DC this May.

One researcher found that although participants would say they felt BlackBerrys were a positive force in their lives, she concluded “the very acts that define balance for BlackBerry users are clear signals of imbalance to those around them, resulting in strong opposition to the devices from non-users.” This opposition from non-users has been noted in the popular press, with terms like “BlackBerry orphans,” “BlackBerry widows,” and smartphone-induced “family feuds” appearing more frequently. Smartphones have become so successful because they can change any place into a workplace, which is exactly why they are so reviled by those who are stuck watching the back of a phone at dinner, or some other social interaction in which the user is “absently present.”

ANNUAL 2014 REPORT SPRING

In my own research, I found that those teachers and administrators who used a smartphone for work purposes struggled to maintain a healthy separation between their professional and personal lives. In addition to balancing work and personal commitments, one question that remains unanswered is the cost of making work decisions through e-mail outside of a work context. Are the decisions in some way impacted by the lack of work context? What are the consequences of these decisions? One of my study’s recommendations was that organizations need to develop policies, or guidelines for the changes that e-mail and smartphones have brought to the workplace. While all organizations, like Kinkaid, have Acceptable Use Policies for the Internet and e-mail, very few (if any!) have Philosophy of Use Policies (e.g. what is/is not appropriate for e-mail communication, what are acceptable response times and what is the expected availability of users?).

I look forward to being part of the School’s discussion as these policies evolve in the future with the advent of new technologies and expectations.

For someone who holds such a prominent place in our minds and hearts, with a name we hear almost every day, how much do we really know about our founder? To be fair, we know quite a bit thanks to the three history books that have been published about Kinkaid. But to really know her story would involve insight into her day-to-day life, something we can only discover within the records she kept and through stories that have been passed down by her former students.

She was a woman who once claimed she founded Kinkaid partly out of her disdain for cooking. The statement, while said in jest, reflects her deeply progressive nature. She was in many respects ahead of her time, particularly in her teaching philosophy.

Margaret Hunter was born in Houston on April 29, 1874 and attended the Clopper Institute in Houston, a school for teachers that promoted “child science,” the predecessor to developmental psychology. She taught for several years at the Hawthorne School until her retirement in 1900 when she married William J. Kinkaid. At the time Houston Public Schools would not employ married women as teachers. The Kinkaid family soon grew to include her two sons: Hunter, born in 1901, and William, born in 1906. Unfortunately, Hunter contracted leukemia and only lived to be nine years old. William would later teach and serve as Principal of the Upper School (pictured left [second row, far right] with the Kinkaid faculty c. 1940).

By many accounts, Mrs. Kinkaid enjoyed holding classes outdoors and encouraged sports for both boys and girls, a legacy which prevails today.

The addition of middle and upper school grades in the 1920s, and the need for a Board of Trustees led her to assume the full responsibilities of the school leadership. While she pursued many improvements, one of her major goals was for Kinkaid to obtain a four-year high school accreditation from the Texas Department of Education, a process that involved nearly 10 years of applications and revisions to the curriculum.

She achieved this goal by 1945. Mrs. Kinkaid and her son William both retired from the school in 1951. Unfortunately, she suffered an untimely death as the result of a car accident that same year. For more information about the Kinkaid Archives or about the life of Margaret Kinkaid, please contact 713-243-6523.

If you are interested in Dr. Jordan’s research on e-mail and organizational communication, please feel free to contact him at james.jordan@kinkaid.org.

5

AROUND ATHLETICS CAMPUS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

In the Classroom

Kinkaid Gene Jocks

Favorite Educational Apps from the Lower School The iPad carts have become quite a fixture in the Lower School hallways as more have been purchased over the past year. Students love the iPads for the interactivity, the graphics and touch-screen responsiveness. Teachers love them, too, because of all the amazing things the iPads offer, especially the individualized learning experience.

The kindergarten and third grade teachers were asked to share some of their favorite educational apps.

Third Grade: Kindergarten: TeachMe: Kindergarten – Teach your children sight words, addition, subtraction and spelling with this app (choose first letter of word). Players earn a coin for every three correct answers.

1000 Sightwords Superhero HD – The most common 1000 words are used 13 times more frequently than the next most common 1000 words.

Count Money: Coin Matching Game - This exciting interactive matching game will help your child learn how to count and match coins by sight, sound, and touch.

ANNUAL 2014 REPORT SPRING

English Grammar - an assessment format game where students identify different parts of speech.

Math Bingo - Fun way for children to practice math facts on the computer. Choose from addition, subtraction, multiplication or division BINGO, and then select a level of difficulty.

Targeting Math 2 - New way to learn mathematics. Within this app, students can access a huge range of activities that make learning math skills fun, motivating and full of rewards.

Aurasma – Very similar to a QR code, students can create an image and attach a video or other data.

As the Europe and the United States grapple with the issues surrounding usage of genetically modified foods, the Upper School Advanced Placement Biology students were learning the fundamentals of biotechnology and genetic engineering. In lab, students got a chance to play biochemists and genetically transform simple E. coli bacteria to glow in the presence of Ultraviolet (UV) light.

Students used a commercial vector to insert the green fluorescent gene of a jellyfish and regulate its expression under strict control of specific environmental cues. Given specific sugars, bacteria turned on their glowing gene and were a beautiful fluorescent green in the presence of UV. The biotechnology unit was received well by many students.

Ryan Baldwin ’14 was amazed by all the recent developments: “Another very cool thing about this unit is that a lot of the techniques we are learning this year weren’t fully developed or present in our freshman year. This branch in time between our two allotments of biology classes gives us a very interesting perspective to see how this field of science has grown over just the last couple of years. Our biotechnology unit has been an amazing learning experience that will be one of the most important things I learned, come time when I start performing research in college.”

For Taylor Daniel ’14 the experience was inspirational – “… it gave me a preview into the sort of science that I could be doing in university or in my professional life. Since I want to be a doctor, I loved getting to practice the sort of research that so fundamentally has and continues to change medicine.”

Another highlight for many students was the ethical and social issues that are associated with this field of biology. As Annie Jeckovich ’14 put it: “Altering an organism’s genes and even creating synthetic life (Craig Venter “built” the genome of a bacterium from scratch and incorporated it into a cell to make the world’s first “synthetic life form”) is a very controversial process, but it opens up discussions in parts of science that you don’t always get to see in a high school classroom. I was very interested in learning the biology of what Venter did to create his “synthetic bacteria” and I also enjoyed getting to discuss the ethical side of genetic engineering with both my classmates and teacher.”

Sixth Graders Scratch Away In the sixth grade technology class, students explored the world of Scratch, a free online programming language developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT. During the six-week unit, students actively planned, predicted, analyzed, identified issues, sought out solutions and solved problems as they built creative projects from the ground up using blocks of code. Projects included music videos, an interactive piano tutorial, holiday cards, video games and more. Wilson Kelsey ’20 explains, “My favorite part was making my own program. Scratch is an easy way to program your own video game, or really anything you want. It allows you to let your imagination flow and has been my favorite unit so far.”

Proud of the projects his students created, Middle School Technology teacher Jeff Diedrich shared their work with the Google+ community of Instructional Technology Integrators & Coaches. The students’ work did not go unnoticed, as comments and tweets began to fly. Steve Bergen, who runs Summercore and is the co-founder of a technology school in the Bronx, was so impressed that he decided to use the students’ work as part of an online course he is teaching in Scratch. To accompany the students’ projects he interviewed Mr. Diedrich along with a student example.

Here is a link to the studio of work by the kids http://scratch.mit.edu/studios/303333/ and a link to the interview can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSa5uSEybPg&feature=youtu.be

6

7

AROUND ATHLETICS CAMPUS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

ANNUAL 2014 REPORT SPRING

LOWER SCHOOL

Photos n i l o o h c er S The Low r Vortex, Dear Pola freeze the ’t n a c u o y , ight try r School. e m w u o o L y e e h il t of Wh nthusiasm 0th Day of e d n a y g r ene e 10 , Fourth m with th r ir a a F w t t a p it e b k a We eH bration, th o Texan Day and le e C l o o h G Sc d Breakfast, ’s d a g India an D e in r d a u t a Gr fe ir tional Fa re fun, we a e n w r ’ e t s y n I a d e th ‘ice While the he spring!” t . a n li o a r g t s in u r b A e cold air – n o g e B “ y sa Warmly, er School w o L id a k The Kin

Thank you to Melissa Massey and Katherine Jones for their leadership in chairing the 2014 International Fair; Kim Hankamer, Francine Bailard, Jill Josephson and Amy Goldstein for chairing the countries of Australia and India; and thank you to the all of the parent volunteers that helped create, organize, build and operate the exhibits. A full list of volunteers and donors will be listed in the 2013-14 Annual Report featured in the 2014 Kinkaid Magazine this fall.

8

9

AROUND ATHLETICS CAMPUS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

ANNUAL 2014 REPORT SPRING

MIDDLE SCHOOL

The Middle School in Photos

C

oming together is a constant theme that seems to run throughout the Middle School. From Family Science Night to Fifth Grade Grandparents’ Day to the Seventh Grade Texas Tour and the Day of Service for the fifth and sixth grade students, each event brings different groups of students together for something great. It is hard to even keep track of all the middle school students’ accomplishments they achieve by working together, like the victories of the inaugural robotics team, the continued success of the speech and debate teams and the collaboration of the entire eighth grade performing Grease.

10

11

AROUND ATHLETICS CAMPUS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL

Not Your Average Three Weeks Exploring the working world firsthand, traveling abroad or taking unique courses on campus are just the beginning of what Interim Term has to offer. Since 1971, the Upper School has spent the majority of January doing something different, and according to alumni surveys, Interim Term is one of the most memorable events from their high school days.

I

ANNUAL 2014 REPORT SPRING

learned about every aspect of drilling - directional and offshore drilling, safety and emergency response, the chemicals used in pipelines, manufacturing a drill bit. I was able to plot the current location of a well and trace the contour maps. I got to go out to a rig and see how it all actually works. I discovered that a company might have to acquire hundreds of leases for one plot of land. I have seen just how many different people and companies it takes to do one project.

My internship was incredible!

E

ven though I have travelled internationally quite a bit with my family, the unique experience of the France Trip, being able to observe the daily life of someone my own age in a completely different country, truly impressed me and earned itself as one of the most memorable trips of my life. Not only did this trip allow me to strengthen my skills in the French language, it allowed me to connect with a family halfway around the world and create a relationship that will surely last a long time.

W

hen I signed up for Fantasy Sports Analysis, I had no idea what to expect, but I correctly predicted that it would be a blast. We competed in mock drafts, learned about the strategies of game theory and watched and read Moneyball. We explored a side of sports and fantasy sports that I had never known, and I loved every minute of it! I know that everything I learned in this class will help me beat out all the boys in my NFL fantasy league next year!

12

13

AROUND ATHLETICS CAMPUS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

ANNUAL 2014 REPORT SPRING

UPPER SCHOOL

O

n February 11, 28 seniors were inducted into the John H. Cooper Chapter of the Cum Laude Society during an assembly and celebrated with a dinner at the School later that night. The following are excerpts from the speeches delivered at the assembly and dinner.

Ross Eastman ’14

Linda B. Andrews, M.D.

Cum Laude Class Representative

Parent of Georgi Andrews ’14 and Frances Andrews ’15

A lot of our success is due to the lessons we’ve learned at this school from various teachers and staff members throughout the years. From Señora Lacy teaching me how to count in Spanish to Mrs. Miller hitting me on the arm for not handling lab equipment properly, each teacher at this school has affected me in some way, and I’m sure my fellow inductees would say the same. And I know for a fact that all of us, students and parents, wouldn’t be in the same place if it weren’t for our amazing deans. I didn’t realize just how much Mrs. Doran has done for me until I started asking my Memorial friends about their deans, to which they replied, “Our what?”

Without the deans, the college process would have been at least 10 times more stressful, which is saying a lot considering how stressful it already is. So I’d like to take a second real quick to just give a big thank you to the deans and especially to Mrs. Doran for trying to make these four years as pleasurable, and stress free as possible.

And last but not least, the parents. You guys have the most important job- you have to put up with us 24/7, no matter what, and are forced to love us through the good times and the bad- don’t worry dad I’m not talking about you. You have to deal with a bunch of hormonal teenagers, which can often be more stressful than being the teenager. I know for a fact my mom hates second semester senior year more than any other year. Because she wants me to do my homework so I can go to college and I’m obviously too busy doing nothing to hear her out. But through all the years of arguing, I think it’s fair to say that we’re so thankful to have parents that want us to test our limits, strive to be the best we can be, and achieve excellence. Because without that extra push, we might not be here today.

Associate Director of Residency Education in Psychiatry, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education at Baylor College of Medicine Studies have shown that individuals with an ‘internal locus of control’, the belief and perception that I can be the master of my own destiny, that I am able to influence and impact the outcome of situations, these individuals have a much better ability to cope with stress. Each of us, then, needs to have our own way(s) of finding or creating that internal sense of control.

I will mention some proven ways to find that inner sense of control to help you seniors be as resilient and balanced and ready to manage college stress as possible.

Director of Advanced Products at iRobot

BA in Physics and Philosophy, Amherst College Masters in Electrical and Computer Engineering, UMass Amherst Sage advice number one: Do not make choices to make your life ‘resume’ look like what you think your parents or your friends will think is successful. You do not have to succeed all the time. Take a moment and really think about this question: “Would you rather get an A in a class that you don’t learn anything from, or get a C in a class that you learn something in?” Don’t get me wrong, success in school, in extra-curriculars and on the field are important but only in so far as they are indicators of engagement in learning and experiencing a broad spectrum of life. Do not make the mistake of thinking external validation is the end goal in and of itself. Make choices and take risks based on what makes you passionate and stimulated.

Sage advice number two: Be your authentic self. Don’t be afraid to show the world your quirks, eccentricities, opinions, different values, your weird love of mid-1990s eastern European electronica music. A lot of your life to this point has been spent trying to not stand too far out. But something amazing happens as you leave the small pond that is high school, to the medium size pond that is college, and then to the ocean that is the world. Believe it or not, you will become valued for what makes you different. Think about that, “you will be valued for what makes you different”, both in your personal and in your professional lives. There is a reason that history is made by the freaks and geeks and mavericks, and there is a reason why the world is drawn to those people.

So stop listening to me and to all the other white noise out there and go follow your own path in all the imperfect, blundering, bramble-ridden, meandering glory that it has the potential to be. And you all have such amazing potential.

Focus on the here-and-now. Try to keep focused on only the most pressing of demands and stressors, rather than trying to control future uncontrollable events.

Take the time and make the effort to find and nurture a healthy social support system. It takes real time spent with people to develop trusting relationships.

Help other people. Studies have found that helping other people, especially when no one knows you did so, and being respected and needed throughout one’s life, predict successful aging, coping and resilience.

Find time and ways to relax - exercise, meditate, read for pleasure, pray, garden, cook, babysit, watch ESPN Sports Center, etc. It has been proven that these types of activities can improve your mood and reduce the negative impact of stress on your body.

Finally, remember, again, that past success is a great predictor of future success. It is probably important, though, and humbling, to remember that you might not have handled every stressful situation perfectly or without any hiccups, so keeping reasonable expectations about the same imperfect trajectory in college would probably be wise.

To watch Dr. Andrews and Ross Eastman’s Cum Laude speeches, visit The Kinkaid School’s YouTube site.

14

Orin Hoffman ’97

The Kinkaid School’s 2014 Cum Laude Society From left to right Front Row: Anne Rollins Jeckovich Sydnie Elizabeth Swanson Suriya Sharma Elizabeth Bailey McGee Rachel Elaine Soderstrom Charlotte Elizabeth Raty Aria Miranda Pearlman Morales

Second Row: Megan Beth Friedman Alik Howe Bourenin Georgiana Lee Andrews Trevin Robert Kurtanich Taylor Victoria Daniel Kristen Palmer Moore Thomas Custis Green

Third Row: Zaid Ali Kajani Cameron Julia Neath Amber YaoYao Chen Roma Vandan Patel Emily Emi Nip Anshul Vasant Palavajjhala Katherine Alexis Banner

Back Row: Daniel Steven Warren Ross Tyrrell Eastman Jr. Arin Alexander Drtil Ryan Mitchell Baldwin Samuel Roland Schwager George Thomson Barrow Rohan Sagar Naik 15

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

AROUND ATHLETICS CAMPUS

S P O T L I G H T

Meet Shelly Read

A

lthough Shelly has been a familiar face in the Business Office and Mail Room for many years, it is a happy coincidence she came to Kinkaid. Sixteen years ago she was working for a software company, and on a whim replied to an advertisement in the Houston Chronicle for a Business Office Assistant.

She came in for an interview with Controller Patti Rutledge and Payroll & Benefits Manager Tina Elkevizth. After the interview she didn’t hear from them, so Shelly assumed she did not get the job. But Tina called her back a few weeks later and offered her the position. Luckily for Kinkaid, Shelly has been a great asset to the Business Office and the School ever since.

Shelly has a variety of duties in the Business Office. In the morning, she runs all outgoing mail through the postage meter. The U.S. mailman comes around noon each day to pick up and deliver school mail.

Shelly sorts all delivered mail into faculty and staff mailboxes. Throughout the day she helps with check processing and deposits, does filing, covers the reception desk when receptionist Wilma Pitre is on break and helps both faculty and parent volunteers with special mailing requests. Shelly is especially helpful to Headmaster’s Assistant Dorothy Barnes with mailings from the Headmaster’s Office.

When she leaves at the end of the day, Shelly delivers the remaining outgoing mail to the Post Office.

I love the friendly people at Kinkaid.

“I love the friendly people at Kinkaid,” Shelly says. “I guess that’s why I’ve stayed so long. I enjoy my Business Office co-workers, and I like helping the faculty, staff and parents who come into the office with their different mailing needs.”

Patti Rutledge has worked with Shelly the whole time she’s been at Kinkaid. “Shelly is very reliable, is always on time and rarely calls in sick. But equally important is her cheerful attitude about helping people.” Chief Financial Officer Joanne Margraves agrees. “Shelly is extremely dependable and loyal,” says Joanne.

ANNUAL 2014 REPORT SPRING

Peace by Piece:

A Partnership with Habitat for Humanity The Kinkaid community has once again united to build a house through its partnership with Houston Habitat for Humanity. The 2014 construction project, Peace by Piece, was the fourth time that Kinkaid students, families and faculty have funded and built an affordable home for a family who would not otherwise be able to buy one.

Led by the Habitat for Humanity Steering Committee, fundraising for the project was a school-wide effort as families throughout the School purchased t-shirts and made financial contributions to the cause. In addition, students in all three divisions of the School pitched in to help out. Upper School students held numerous bake sales, while Lower and Middle School students emptied their pockets through a coin drive that collected almost $5,000. Through the generosity of donors and the participation of the entire student body, the Peace by Piece campaign met its goal of raising $70,000 toward the construction of the Habitat for Humanity home.

With fundraising completed in December, construction began in January. Over six build dates, Kinkaid students, faculty and parents contributed over 650 hours of labor to construct the home. From raising the first walls to planting the shrubs and trees around the finished home, Kinkaidians worked together to make the project successful. Habitat Steering Committee member Rachel Soderstrom ’14 described the Habitat experience as awesome. “It required a lot of teamwork... Some pieces took about ten people all together to carry and lift the piece onto the top of the house. But, there was a great feeling of accomplishment after the build day. You could really see the tremendous amount of change just in one day and know that you contributed to that.”

One of the greatest contributors to the project was the homeowner herself, Vicky Bradley, who is thrilled that she will be able to

purchase her own home in which she will raise her four-year-old daughter Aaliya. Like all Habitat homeowners, Mrs. Bradley contributed 300 hours of sweat equity in which she helped build her home and other homes in her neighborhood. At each build date, Mrs. Bradley worked side by side with the Kinkaid volunteers. Catalina Parra ’15, who served as the Family Liaison for the project, enjoyed getting to know Mrs. Bradley. “She was always there to help us build the house with eagerness and support. She never complained about hammering nails — even when the students did!”

Dedication of the house will occur in May, and anyone who contributed, either financially or physically, is invited to join in the festivities. Habitat Steering Committee Co-Chair Ashley Davis ’15 expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the project. “The Kinkaid Community should feel very proud of all that they did to contribute, whether it be through donations, buying shirts or working on the house itself. Our goal was to create a wonderful How Habitat for Humanity place for Vicky and Aaliya Works: to live happily and safely.

Habitat for Humanity offers homeownWorking together with the ership opportunities to families who entire Kinkaid community, have steady income and a satisfactory we were able to fulfill the credit rating, yet who are unable to obtain Bradley family’s dream of conventional house financing. In Houston, homeownership.” Truly, the Habitat families have an annual income beKinkaid community worked tween $32,000 to $42,000 from which they together to build this homemake monthly payments on a 0% mortPeace by Piece. gage. Because Habitat houses are built using donations of land, material and labor, mortgage payments are kept affordable and homeownership becomes accessible to those who would not otherwise be able to purchase a home.

Outside of work, Shelly enjoys listening to country music and spending time with her close-knit family. She is a devoted aunt to her two nephews Ryan, 5 and Jack, 10. Aunt “Elly”, as the boys call her, goes to all their football and basketball games. Now that spring is here, Shelly is looking forward to family trips to the lake and visiting her sister-in-law’s farm in Alabama.

16

17

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

Discovering Your Voice

A Foundation for Life

O

SPEECH

SPRING 2014

rganizing thoughts and articulating them in an effective manner is part of the education of the whole child. In the “Digital Age”, technology has transformed the way we communicate with each other, making the skill of oral communication more difficult for children to instinctively learn and develop.

Face-to-face conversations and even phone calls may not be as common today, but oral communication is still just as important as it was before texting and email.

Tony Wagner, Ed.D., an Expert in Residence at Harvard University’s new Innovation Lab, strongly believes that effective oral and written communication are two of the skills that matter most in the 21st century, and are also the skills that most individuals lack. Kinkaid provides opportunities for students to tap into the power of their voices, thereby gaining self-confidence and leaving the School better prepared to effectively communicate outside the classroom.

As early as Lower School, students have the opportunity to present a project they thoroughly researched to unfamiliar people. Project work propels students into sharing their learning, with the Habitat Fair and Faces of Greatness in second grade, the Native American and the Westward Expansion projects in third grade and the Living

History Museum in fourth grade. “Not only do students speak with their peers, parents and other familiar adults, “ second grade teacher Cindy Holubec explains. “They also encounter unfamiliar educators and administrators from other parts of the School, as well as other schools within our city.”

Because these presentations are new and unfamiliar to the students, preparation and knowledge of the topics are crucial in developing a sense of confidence. Fourth grade teacher Lisa Curry says that students begin practicing weeks before the actual performance date. “Even the most reserved and timid students rise to the occasion, demonstrating their knowledge about an important person who has made our world a better place for others,” Ms. Curry adds.

Anna Ferber ‘24 presents the Howler Monkey to a group of PK students

18

19

SPEECH

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

SPRING 2014

I

n middle school speech and drama, students can become proficient in articulately and clearly communicating their thoughts to a large audience. Speech events, such as Duet Acting, Improvisational Acting, Original Oratory, Solo Acting and Impromptu Speaking, allow students to test their oral communication skills. Many people find public speaking, especially in front of a group of strangers, incredibly daunting. “Learning to stand up before a group and speak with confidence and passion is a life skill.

Speech and debate begin that process,” Middle School Speech and Drama teacher Patty Edwards says.

Beginning next school year, middle school students will be required to have a semester of speech and a semester of debate to build confidence in an array of communication skills.

“By providing students a semester of access to these courses, they might discover a love for a subject that they would have never thought to pursue otherwise,” notes Middle School Debate coach Stacy Thomas. All students can apply the research skills and logic taught in debate to academics beyond eighth grade. In previous years, debate was an elective class, so students who did not choose it were not exposed to this form of public speaking in the Middle School.

Learning to stand up before a group and speak with confidence and passion is a life skill.

Upper School Spanish teacher Shari Harris with her students in the Foreign Language Lab

Middle School Debate coach Stacy Thomas with seventh grade debate students

A

fter a semester or two, many students end up finding their true passion or talent. “Debate has made me more confident in my communication skills, “ middle school student Anna Thomas ’18 says. “Through Ms. Thomas’ teaching, I became better at preparing speeches, gained practical experience in speaking in front of people and became more confident in my thought processes and speech.”

Kinkaid upper school speech and debate has been successful for many decades at the local, regional and national levels, and some would argue that it is embedded in Kinkaid’s culture. We boast one of the best debate programs in the country, with many students winning nationally competitive high school tournaments and many alumni going on to win championships at the college level.

Countless hours are devoted to the preparation for and participation in these tournaments, causing students to really dive into this passion. These weekend competitions provide invaluable benefits to students in their future academic and professional life.

Because students bring their own skills and personality, Upper School Debate coach Eric Emerson teaches debate in a very student-centered way. “Each student has a different experience and

Leora Maksoud ‘21 at the Living History Museum last school year

20

different expectation, and I would hope that they all have a space on the team,” Mr. Emerson remarks. He has taught many students who did not think debate was natural for them. Mr. Emerson says, “Debate is often transformative. These students find their voice when they are in competition with only the judge and their own debaters in the room.”

Academic debate students learn how to identify and critically analyze the most important issues today, gaining the skills of research, public speaking and critical thinking that will apply to future opportunities and leadership. Past Kinkaid debaters Layne Kirshon ’10 and Ryan Beiermeister ’08, both recruited by Northwestern University for Debate, were awarded the Copeland Award, given to the best overall team in college debate based upon yearlong success. Layne says, “Debate forces you to be good at making yourself heard around combative and intimidating people, and that’s hard for a lot of people.” Many former Kinkaid debaters are now leaders in education, the medical field, sciences, business and law, to name a few. This year’s cum laude speaker Orin Hoffman ’97 (see page 15 for an excerpt from Hoffman’s recent cum laude speech) spoke highly of the power of Kinkaid debate in his life and how it gave him valuable skills that he applies to his career in robotics.

21

SPEECH

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

Debate is often transformative.

These students find their voice when they are in competition…

K

eith Fullenweider ’81, Partner at Vinson and Elkins, and his debate partner John Graham ’81 were one of the first at Kinkaid to go to the national championships in debate, which they did three times. As a Mergers and Acquisitions Partner at Clifford Chance, John believes that high-level debate helps students develop “intellectual confidence” at a very early age that enables them to “think on their feet” and will benefit their careers later on. Clark Ervin ’77 draws on the skills gained in Kinkaid debate in his career as a government official,

22

SPRING 2014

Middle and Upper School Debate Teams at the University of Texas Tournament Upper School Debate coach Eric Emerson preparing students for a tournament

think tank policy analyst and lawyer. Clark explains, “Most people find speaking before a crowd of strangers to be one of the hardest things in life. For serious students of debate, it becomes second nature. Having something come easily that most people find to be terrifying does nothing if not increase self-confidence.”

Kinkaid lower, middle and upper school students have many opportunities at all grade levels to develop the essential skill of oral communication. This skill helps students develop self-confidence and improve their ability to express their thoughts in a compelling manner. Kinkaid Governing Council President Graham Marsh ’14 and Habitat for Humanity Senior Chair Alina Valera ’14 have had many public speaking opportunities during their years at Kinkaid, so making announcements to the Upper School at Assembly is no major challenge. Alina says, “It’s not difficult for numerous reasons. One, I debate and do this sort of thing all the time. And two, I am really passionate about Habitat.” Graham agrees, “I feel very comfortable public speaking now because it has become a part of my weekly routine.” Kinkaid provides these opportunities for students to leave the School with a valuable life skill that will serve them well no matter what path they choose.

Debate Teams then and now

1980 Debate Team

1977 Debate Team

23

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

ATHLETICS

SPRING 2014

Athletics Review

24

25

ATHLETICS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

SPRING 2014

Athletics Review Varsity Boys Basketball

Varsity Wrestling

Overall Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-7

Overall Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2 in individual duals

Conference Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1 SPC Tournament Rank. . . . . . . . . . . 2nd All South Zone: Sam Mays ’15, Stephen O’Suji ’14, Jeff Roberson ’14 All SPC: Stephen O’Suji, ’14 Jeff Roberson ’14

Varsity Girls Basketball Overall Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-7 Conference Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1 SPC Tournament Rank. . . . . . . . . . . 3rd All South Zone: Tyjae’ Scales ’15, Brecca Thomas ’14 All SPC: Tyjae’ Scales ’15, Brecca Thomas ’14

Busy Season for Signing Seniors

War on the Floor Champions vs. St. John’s SPC Tournament Rank. . . . . . . . . . . 3rd SPC Tournament: 1st Place: Jake Barnett ’17, Casey Cowan ’14, Ben Krantz ’14, Blake Lattimer ’16; 3rd Place: John Goettee ’17 State Winners: 1st Place: Casey Cowan ’14; 2nd Place: Jake Barnett ’17, Ben Krantz ’14; 4th Place: Blake Lattimer ’16 Prep Nationals: 3rd Place: Casey Cowan ’14; 8th Place: Ben Krantz ’14 – Both All-American

Crowned All-Americans At the National Preps Wrestling Tournament at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, Casey Cowan ’14 finished 3rd and Ben Krantz ’14 finished 8th. Only the top eight finishers are designated as All-Americans. Casey finished 8th in 2013, so he graduates as a two-time All-American.

Thomas Dillon ’14, Mavin Saunders ’14 and Will Clement ’14 all signed to play NCAA Division I football next year at Wake Forest University, Florida State University and New Mexico State, respectively.

Varsity Boys Soccer Overall Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7-1 Conference Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3-1 SPC Tournament Rank. . . . . . . . . . . 7th All South Zone: Demian Gass ’16, Josh Raizner ’16 All SPC: Demian Gass ’16, Brendan Martin ’16

Varsity Girls Soccer Overall Record. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-6-1 Conference Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1-1 SPC Tournament Rank . . . . . . . . . . 5th

Gambles are a Sure Thing Kennedy Gamble ’18 and Katelyn Gamble ’20 competed at the 2014 AAU Indoor National Championship. Kennedy finished 1st in the 55M and 2nd in the 200M, earning gold and silver medals.

Katelyn finished 3rd in the 55M and 4th in the 200M, earning a bronze medal.

Raveyn Rogers ’14 signed to compete at the next level for track & field at the University of Oregon, Lucas Cooper ’14 committed to Colgate University for lacrosse and Julia Camp ’14 signed to play soccer at Trinity University.

All South Zone: Julia Camp ’14, Aisha Matin ’14, Drewe Molin ’14, Aria Pearlman Morales ’14, Louise Stephens ’16 All SPC: Julia Camp ’14, Aria Pearlman Morales ’14

Varsity Swimming SPC Tournament Rank . . . . . . . . . . Boys 7th, Girls 8th SPC Top 3 Finishers: 3rd Place - 500 Freestyle: Sara Jane Gage ’15; 3rd Place - 200 Freestyle: Nicholas Fernandez ’16

26

Eighth Grade Girls Soccer Wins Again For a second year in a row, the Class of 2018 girls soccer team went undefeated with a season record of 15-0, and scoring 64 goals and only allowing eight. The team defeated Duchesne Academy in the HJPC championship.

27

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

FINE ARTS

SPRING 2014

Fine Arts Review

28

29

ALUMNI NEWS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

Fine Arts Review

Alumni News

T

Alumni Association Board Retreat:

he second semester is off to a fantastic start in the Fine Arts Department. At the completion of Interim Term in the Upper School, the galleries of the Student Life building were filled with an incredible range of dynamic new work – from large “Big Blue” cyanotype canvases and an oversized graffiti art sculpture, to beautiful sets of photogravure prints, to a collection of intricately engraved jewelry – the work reflected the diversity of visual arts courses offered during Interim Term. The visual arts students also did laudably well in several recent competitions. Twentyseven students garnered 39 top awards and the Regional Scholastic Arts Awards, and nine printmaking students earned superior and outstanding ratings at the Visual Art Scholastic Event (VASE).

Developing New Programs to Meet Alumni Needs

O

n February 5, the Kinkaid Alumni Association Board held an important retreat to develop plans for improving how the School can provide alumni with the services, communications and connections that they want and need.

“The retreat was in response to the results of the 2012 Alumni Survey that identified opportunities and ideas to consider for future programming to better serve our alumni, and to help keep them better connected with each other and with the School,” says Alumni Association Board President Annette Faubion Stephens ’82.

The entire eighth grade class was rocking and rolling with their stellar production of pop-culture phenomenon, Grease. Rydell High never looked better as the T-Birds, Pink Ladies and their friends got shakin’ at the high school hop and wowed audiences with their boundless energy and one show-stopper after another. Just a month later, in an enchanted kingdom, far, far away from the clamor of the 1950’s, Upper School students created a fairy-tale world to tell the classic tale of the Princess and the Pea with their enchanting production of Once Upon A Mattress.

The new year has also brought an exciting new resource to the Fine Arts Department. One of the music practice rooms in the Student Life building has been refashioned as a recording studio with advanced technology and sound equipment that will allow music and film students to make professional-quality recordings. Currently, seniors Graham Marsh and Josh Armstrong are busy with independent study projects.

Both are composing original songs that will be among the first tracks to come out of the new studio.

SPRING 2014

Brad Morgan ‘96, Erin Jones Brown ‘96 and Brian Dinerstein ‘95

Plans for the Retreat, the first in the Association’s 25-year history, were announced at the September 2013 Alumni Association Board Meeting.

In November 2013, the Board divided into work groups to address Networking/Mentoring, Connections with Out-of-Town Alumni, Local Outreach, Fundraising and Reunion Planning. The work groups each met several times over the three months prior to the Retreat.

“We were very pleased with the high attendance, enthusiasm and thoughtful insights shared at the Retreat,” says Manager of Alumni Activities Emily Wynne Bolin ’82. Headmaster Andy Martire and over 90% of the Board attended the Retreat where they heard presentations from the work group leaders and provided feedback. After all presentations were made, the Board reflected on all five reports and discussed initial recommendations and prioritizing of future goals.

The Retreat Committee, composed of the five work group leaders (Adam Altsuler ’92, Vianei Lopez Braun ’85, Ellen Weingarten Wagnon ’79, Joy Archer Yeager ’85 and Stephens), Incoming Board President Mark Breeding ’74, Bolin and fellow Advancement Office staff Annette Faubion Stephens ’82 and Tom Moore, Jen Pardee Stephen Dyer ’85 and Laura Renaud, will meet this spring to review the recommendations. The Committee will consider the impact on current staff and programming, conduct additional research if needed, and prepare an overall summary and action plan for the Board to review at its May 14 meeting. A summary of the findings will be posted to the Alumni pages of the School’s website, kinkaid.org/alumni, and will also be included in an article in the summer issue of the Kinkaid magazine.

“Our Board has long felt that we have an active alumni program, but we should always strive to better serve and support more alumni,” says Stephens. “I strongly feel the Retreat will help chart an exciting new course that will further strengthen the bond between our alumni and Kinkaid.”

Marie Fay Evnochides ’59 and Jane Hoffert Moore ’46

Recommendations from the Retreat included: • the formation of alumni chapters in key cities where we have a strong alumni presence; • more career-focused networking opportunities for younger alumni; • local alumni events focused on a variety of interests and groups (such as women-only events); and • increased use of social media, such as LinkedIn, to better connect with alumni.

30

Vianei Lopez Braun ‘85, Virginia Mary Thompson Brown ‘84, Helena Papadopoulos Johnson ‘82 and Ellen Weingarten Wagnon ‘79

31

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

P

R

O

F

I

L

ALUMNI NEWS

E

SPRING 2014

Q & A with David Shutts ’74

D

avid Shutts can be found on the sidelines at just about any Kinkaid athletic event or fine arts performance these days. As he looks forward to celebrating his 40th reunion this year, David shares about how he ended up turning a passion he’s had since he was a student into his career.

Kinkaid Magazine: How did you get interested in photography?

David Shutts: I always liked gadgets, including cameras. As a kid I had instamatic cameras with those old film cartridges. I would save my mom’s Green Stamps to get the latest model. My freshman year at Kinkaid was the first year of Interim Term, and I took a photography class taught by David Crossley. Class was held in the physics lab with a makeshift dark room set up in one corner. I loved the whole process—from taking the pictures to developing the film and making prints. It was magical to see a picture come to life in the developing tray. I was hooked, and I immediately signed up for the Photo Club.

For my remaining high school years I took pictures for the Falcon, Falcon Wings and the Kinkaidian.

It’s magical to see a picture come to life in the developing tray.

What could be better than that?

KM: After college and graduate school you worked as a commercial banker. What brought you back to photography as a career?

DS: Yes, it was 1994 and I had sold all my equipment and was down to one point-and-shoot camera. My friend Pat Gates Mueller ’73 had just lost her husband, Tommy at the age of 42. In her grief, Pat said something to me that really hit home: “It’s never too late to pursue your passion.” At that moment I knew I needed to get back to taking pictures. I quit my job at Texas Commerce Bank and jumped right in.

KM: Once you’d made that decision, how did your Kinkaid connections help you get started?

DS: My classmate Temple Webber was a huge help. Temple left Kinkaid for high school at Choate, but we’ve been friends since first grade. He had a successful photography business and he let me follow him around on shoots for a year. He started sending me referrals, and things just grew from there. One of my first commercial jobs was photographing David Dewhurst for his company, Falcon Seaboard. We

chatted about banking—it helped that I had that background for a lot of my early clients because they could relate to me. The father of close friends Randy Johnson ’75 and his late brother Ronnie ’78, also helped me, sharing their knowledge and passion for photography.

Randy gave me some of his father’s old equipment after he passed away. Randy and I went on trips together taking pictures.

KM: Who are some notable people you’ve photographed?

Kyle and Callie Parker Bradford ‘95 with Garrett Holloway ‘95

Pam Pappas Mattingly ‘77 and Dayna O’Toole Turney ‘77

Liz and Dick Respess ‘66 with Ban and Kathleen Hazelhurst Bywaters ‘69

Neal Jain ‘05 and Alumni Association Board President Annette Faubion Stephens ‘82

March 4 at El Fenix

DS: I’ve done a lot of work with the Bush family. I shot President Bush’s 80th birthday celebration with many famous dignitaries including Mikhail Gorbachev. And for the past 15 years I’ve done Barbara Bush’s Celebration of Reading in Houston and Dallas. They are always warm and gracious.

KM: You seem to be at every Kinkaid event, from athletics to arts to graduation festivities. What’s it like working for your alma mater?

DS: Other than a few reunions and alumni phonathons, I had not been back to campus much until I started attending events for my niece and nephew Holly Blalock ’06 and Geer Blalock ’02. In 2006 Director of Advancement Tom Moore asked me to take pictures at some of the Centennial events. I eventually started shooting the annual Kinkaid vs. St. John’s football game and other sports events, commencement, etc. It just kept growing from there. Now I shoot photos for the website and all the School’s publications.

Being around Kinkaid now and experiencing so much of what it offers has given me a greater appreciation than I had when I was a student. Kinkaid always has had wonderful teachers and coaches—I was lucky to have Barry Moss, Art Goddard, John Germann, Jim Pitts and Bob Beck, among others. Charlie Sanders ’54 not only coached me in football but also gave me photography tips. Today, when I see the new buildings and facilities and all the amazing things going on in classrooms, I’m really impressed. I recently heard Headmaster Andy Martire talk about the difference between being “good” and “great”. Kinkaid is indeed a great School, and I’m so proud to be a part of it.

Austin Alumni Gathering

Johnny Sutton ‘79, Bill Sealy ‘83 and Kathy McAnelly Schwartz ‘79

Brandon Easterling ‘91, Andy Martire and Leslie Ratz Easterling ‘91

Maya Buryakovsky Pomroy ‘96, Jed Peters ‘96 and Hannah Peters

Pat Kidson Fogle Cavanagh ‘66 and Rick Geyer ‘66

January 22 at Winflo Osteria

KM: What do you like to do when you’re not taking pictures?

DS: After 26 years of marriage, my wife Chelle and I are now empty nesters, so we’ve been travelling to Waco often to visit our son Sam who is a freshman at Baylor.

Photo by Fernanda Gonzalez-Blanco ‘15 32

Dallas Alumni Gathering

33

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

P

R

O

F

I

L

ALUMNI NEWS

E

SPRING 2014

Stacey Kayem ’93 Discovers the “Reality of Potential”

S

tacey Kayem is the founder of The Children’s Grand Adventure, a nonprofit that brings patients from Texas Children’s Cancer Center to an experiential learning program in the Teton Mountains. She shares her inspiring journey.

She didn’t know it at the time, but all the paths of Stacey Kayem’s life would converge in 2006 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Stacey came there to do research on hippotherapy, a physical therapy treatment that utilizes horses and equine movement. She was completing her M.Ed. in counseling with a focus in equine psychotherapy from Vanderbilt. Stacey became interested in the field while volunteering at Saddle Up, a therapeutic riding program in Nashville for children with disabilities. “The experience of being on a horse has multiple benefits for these kids,” says Stacey. “They receive physical, emotional and cognitive rewards and build tremendous confidence.”

discovered the Teton Science Schools (TSS), an education and research center that offers experiential learning programs in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Stacey immediately felt drawn to the place and knew she had to get back there. After finishing at Vanderbilt, she took a job in the development office at TSS. She grew passionate about the organization and its work, and she got to know donors and what their interests were. Still, she missed working with kids.

Back in Houston in January 2008, Stacey was having coffee with Dr. David Poplack, medical director at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and father of Kinkaid alumni Samara ’99 and Aaron ’01. Stacey knew Dr. Poplack from her prior involvement with Texas Children’s. She was telling him about the programs at Teton Science Schools and how great it would be to bring his cancer patients up there for a wilderness experience. She didn’t expect him to say, “Great idea, let’s do it!” But that’s essentially what happened. Stacey shares, “Before I knew it we were planning the first group of kids to come up to the Tetons that summer.” The Children’s Grand Adventure had begun.

Now in its seventh year, The Children’s Grand Adventure brings a group of ten teenagers each summer to Jackson Hole who are “well to travel”—meaning their cancer has been in remission for at least six months. They come for nine days of hiking, rafting, camping, team-building and encounters with wildlife. The kids are accompanied the entire time by Dr. Poplack and his medical team. The doctors help tailor the program based on what each child is capable of, and field guides from Teton Science Schools lead the activities. Everything is paid for through the generosity of donors.

The Children’s Grand Adventure participants in the Teton Mountains

A former rider herself, Stacey entered Hollins College after graduating from Kinkaid in 1993. Though she came to Hollins to ride on the equestrian team, her interest in neuropsychology led her to transfer to Texas Christian University. In college she interned at the Lab School in Washington, DC, working with children with cognitive differences.

Stacey learned how using tools like music and art could help reach kids who were non-traditional learners.

After graduation from TCU, Stacey was among first hires at Ignite Learning in Austin. Ignite These kids have the creates digital content for schools using Howard confronted life Gardner’s multiple intelligences and brain mapin bigger ways ping. The work at Ignite inspired her to apply to the graduate program at Vanderbilt. During than we can graduate school she interned at Currey Ingram imagine.

Academy, a school for children with unique learning styles. “Seeing the ‘reality of their potential’ was a revelation. I realized I loved neuroscience but wanted to be on the ‘people’ side. I wanted to bring this work I’d done in brain research to education and counseling.”

In Nashville, Stacey continued volunteering at Saddle Up, which led to her research in hippotherapy and the trip to Jackson Hole. There she

34

On Saturday, March 1, alumni from past Once Upon a Mattress productions came to campus from as far as North Carolina to reconnect with each other at a reception and attend the show together.

During curtain call, the alumni came on stage and were greeted by current cast members.

Stacey shares, “These kids, whose lives have been previously put on hold because of the rigors of cancer treatment, get to experience travel, nature, introspection, bonding and friendship in one of the world’s most inspiring and unforgettable settings.” Some of them have never been away from home before, which is a challenge for both the children and their parents. But it is enormously liberating as well. Dr. Poplack adds, “We can treat the children, but to have them heal takes more than medicine. This experience has a major impact in terms of improving their confidence and giving them a positive attitude. There’s a tremendous benefit to it.”

The “reality of potential” has become a mantra for Stacey throughout this entire journey. “Whatever challenges I face, they pale in comparison to what these kids have overcome,” she says. “I’m an adamant believer in people, especially those who’ve been through the hardest stuff.

These kids have confronted life in bigger ways than we can imagine.”

When she’s not in Jackson Hole, Stacey spends most of her time in Houston fundraising and coordinating logistics. She feels honored to be stewarding this program and is overwhelmed by its success. “I look back and see how all the paths of my life came together with the creation of The Children’s Grand Adventure,” says Stacey. “I wake up in a dream every day.”

Learn more about The Children’s Grand Adventure at thegrandadventure.net.

35

ALUMNI NEWS

THE KINKAID SCHOOL

Weddings

SPRING 2014

Birth Announcements

Sarah Day & Jarrett Golding ’03 August 3, 2013

Thomas Reckling “Tommy” Jornayvaz, January 20, 2014

Isla McConn Jornayvaz ‘02 and husband Joseph

Tracy Gerger ’08 & Mark Leiman November 10, 2013

Mary Barbour ’06 & Doug Bahr November 30, 2013

Iverson Rhoda “Ivy” Jones, September 3, 2013

Barrell Barbour Jones ’01 and husband Jacob

Carter and Audrey Spalding Dunlap ‘06

Robin Lowe Clarkson ’01 and husband Steve

Jane Carter Baldwin, January 24, 2014

Kim Field Baldwin ’93 and husband Carter ’91

William Marshall Jr., December 30, 2013

Trey ’99 and Whitney Rape Miller ’04 with their wedding party, including Irby Rozelle ’99, Alan Baum ’99, Connor Cook ’99, Scott Frankel ’99, Mark Schmulen ’99, Kim Heine Nettles ’04, Mary Catherine White ’04, Michel Miller Mullett ’00, Bailey Thomas Haidamous ’04, Jordan Allison ’04, Maudie Werlin ’04 and Will Reedy ’04

Meredith Riddle ’95 & Patrick Chastang December 14, 2013

Jackson Merril Clarkson, December 30, 2013

Angie North Marshall ’98 and husband William

John Cooley “Jack” Plumb Jr., September 12, 2013

Isabel Stella Maislos, January 3, 2014 Gabriel Maislos ’92 and wife Hayley

Sloan Biering Zickefoose, February 7, 2014 Ashley Baxter Zickefoose ’94 and husband Jeff

Katherine Tropoli Plumb ’01 and husband John

Erin Finger ’04 & Steve Kaplan ’98 January 4, 2014 Jack Harrison Mandel, January 3, 2014 Elana Davidowitz & Michael Putterman ’06 January 19, 2014

Laura Kamas ’98 & Erik Wheeler February 8, 2014

Sheridan Kate Snyder, October 1, 2013

Erika Palmer Mandel ’98 and husband Jed

Lee LaGrasse Nichols ’00 and husband Josh ’99

Andrew Blake Bentley, January 5, 2014

Laura Kate Winfrey, November 5, 2013

Elizabeth Wadler Bentley ’99 and husband Steve

Thomas Wilson Sanders, February 17, 2014

Ben Holden Brollier, November 11, 2013

Michele Soefer Shapiro ’98 and husband Andy

Worth Snyder ’97 and wife Lauren

Jillian Ballard Mertz ‘04 and husband Louis

Laura Kamas Wheeler ‘98 and husband Erik with wedding party, including Margot Fried Hogan ‘98, Jill Case ‘98, Christina Pappas ‘98 and Krissy Turner ‘98

Phillip Winfrey ’01 and wife Robyn

Whitney Rape ’04 & Trey Miller ’99 February 8, 2014

Jillian Ballard ’04 & Louis Mertz February 15, 2014

Simon Robert Shapiro, January 5, 2014

Clay Brollier ’99 and wife Mary Margaret

Julia Coskey ’05 & Andrew Cole February 15, 2014

Cooper Frederick Nichols, February 14, 2014

Will Sanders ’03 and wife Pamela

Alice Marie “Amie” Jones, February 18, 2014 Ashley Springmeyer Jones ’04 and husband Stephen

Michael Putterman ‘06 and wife Elana Meredith Riddle Chastang ‘95 and husband Patrick with sister Liz Riddle Anders ‘98, Liz’s husband David Anders ‘97 and their son Oliver

Rachel Thompson & John Luke McConn ’04 February 22, 2014

Kimberly “Blye” Bowden, November 12, 2013

Lawrence Francis Labanowski Jr., January 9, 2014

Brandt Bowden ’96 and wife Mary Kay

Leslie Roemer Labanowski ’02 and husband Lawrence ’02

Evelyn Jane “Evie” Varner, December 3, 2013

Madeline West Montgomery, January 11, 2014

Leigh Kathryn Devlin, February 22, 2014 Lizzie Buza Devlin ’00 and husband Ryan ’99

Audrey Spalding ’06 & Carter Dunlap March 1, 2014

Share your milestone events with us!

Katie Decker ’06 & Mitchell Currie ’06 March 8, 2014

36

Tracy Gerger Leiman ‘08 and husband Mark

Katie Decker Currie ‘06 and husband Mitchell ‘06

Erin Finger Kaplan ‘04 and husband Brian ‘98

Kate Dickinson-Varner ’02 and husband Kevin Varner

Ali West Montgomery ’02 and husband Pearson

Please send them to Advancement Associate Laura Renaud at 713.243.5054 or laura.renaud@kinkaid.org.

37

THE KINKAID SCHOOL THE KINKAID SCHOOL

In Memory

William “Whit” Whitaker Bryan ’73 passed away on December 17 in Houston. He attended the University of Denver. Whit is survived by his mother Ruth, his sister Claudia, his brother Locke Bryan ’68, his niece Sidney Claire Bryan ’08 (fs) and his nephew Frank Bryan ’00.

Pat Doherty Mickley ’64 passed away on December 21. Pat graduated from Centenary University. He was a walking sports encyclopedia and was often called upon for specific facts of a sporting event. Pat loved playing golf and was an avid Rice Owls baseball fan who rarely missed a game. His unique personality developed hundreds of long and lasting friendships with those he associated with.

Pat is survived by his wife, golf partner and best friend, Judy Meador; his son Patrick Mickley; and his sisters Terry Mickley Hall ’66 and Betsy Mickley Sheets ’70 and his brother Steve Mickley ’68.

Former Lower School teacher Nancy Wren Harris passed away on January 14. A native Houstonian, Nancy attended Rice University and graduated from the University of Texas.

She was a strong advocate of early childhood education and an active volunteer in Women’s Crisis Hotline and Chinquapin Preparatory School. Nancy is survived by her daughter Clare.

Former Facilities Staff member Pam Morgan passed away in late January after a long illness. Pam always had a smile on her face.

She is survived by her mother, former Kinkaid Cafeteria Staff member Georgia Morgan Leonard, and her step-father Eddie Leonard, both managers of Kinkaid’s cafeteria for many years. She is also survived by her three children: Isaac, Ashley and Quincy.

Maude Russell Bowen Carter ’45 (fs) passed away on February 8. She studied art at the Parsons School of Design and then returned home to attend the University of Texas.

Maude and her husband Thomas moved to Camden, Texas, where she established a well-baby clinic, two libraries and helped improve the elementary school. A talented artist, Maude was sought after for her beautiful portraits, and she taught art for many years in Houston.

Maude is survived by her six children: Maude, Thomas, Aubrey, Marjorie, Sara and Georgia. She is also survived by many grandchildren, including Walker Cain ’06 and Sara Cain ’03, and great-grandchildren.

David Shelby Dale Sr. ’51 (fs) passed away on February 21 at age 80. Born in Houston, David played football and ran track in high school and was a proud third-generation Texas Longhorn, graduating near the top of his class from the University of Texas at Austin Law School in 1957. He worked as an oil and gas attorney at Vinson & Elkins in the 1960s before deciding to teach property and oil and gas law at Washburn University. David returned to practice as an “oil man” in the 1980s, first with Conoco in Houston and then with Milestone Petroleum in Denver.

David is survived by his children: Jack, Lucy, David, Hannah and Alison, along with eleven grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Claude Hart Montgomery II ’47 (fs) passed away on February 27. He was a husband, a father and a true gentleman with an amazing smile. Claude graduated from The University of Texas and loved his years as a member of his UT football group of dear friends. He was a Vice President and Manager for Merrill Lynch for many years.

Claude is survived by his wife Jane Heyck Gaucher Montgomery ’53 and daughter Lisa Montgomery. He is also survived by his stepdaughter Susan Gaucher Merrill ’83 and her husband Richard and their daughter Jennifer, and his stepdaughter Beverly Gaucher ’86.

Kinkaid Community Donates Uniforms to Children in Zambia In the 2012-2013 school year, the Lower and Middle Schools updated their uniforms. The School realized that families would be getting rid of hundreds of jumpers, blouses, blazers, gray pants, polo shirts and ties, so in May 2012, we asked our generous parents to consider donating those perfectly good uniforms to schools in Zambia.

With the help of Lower School parent Joanna Raynes, who had a connection with the Zambia Missions group in Abilene, Texas, we sent 99 3-cubic-foot boxes, each containing approximately 100 pieces of clothing. The boxes left Abilene in February 2013 and arrived in Zambia in June 2013. The uniforms were distributed to five different schools in Southern Zambia as well as some local community schools that are supervised by the five mission schools.

According to Joanna, the Zambian government requires uniforms for school attendance. Exemptions can be obtained but children

38

are reluctant to attend school without a uniform since most of the students’ only clothes are tattered. If families are lucky enough to have one uniform, the children take turns going to school each day, alternating who wears the uniform.

Having these pristine uniforms has helped children feel part of the school community. A Zambia Missions administrator writes, “This gesture has greatly cheered the pupils, teachers and community at large. The attendance in all schools improved.” How wonderful that the generosity of Kinkaid families provided beautiful uniforms for these Zambian children.

NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 3375 HOUSTON, TEXAS

the kink aid school 201 Kinkaid School Drive Houston, TX 77024

Parents or Alumni: If this publication is addressed to your child who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office of the new permanent mailing address.

Thank You.

Your support makes the difference.

Visit kinkaid.org/support to learn about all the ways to support Kinkaid.